Forever Young
by lucycantdance
Summary: Gil-galad's youth on the Isle of Balar, and all of the happiness and heartache that entails. Rated K-plus to be safe. Each chapter was written separately for the 100 Themes Challenge, and then compiled.
1. 018: Rainbow

Arrey and Nimfinwë belong to my friend Embrethil, and this came about after we had a conversation about how Arrey reacts to the idea of homosexuality. Since my Ereinion is always of such a persuasion, this scene popped into my head when she mentioned that he found it a little weird, and would not expect Ereinion to be gay.

They're living on the Isle of Balar, and this is after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Arrey and Ereinion are the equivalent of about 15 or 16 here.

Alyss belongs to me and Embrethil  
>Ereinion is Tolkien's<p>

* * *

><p>It was late afternoon when Ereinion arrived at his destination and hesitantly raised a hand to knock on the door. It hovered in mid-air for a moment, before falling back to his side.<p>

_Just do it._

Taking a breath and steeling himself, Ereinion raised his fist again and knocked three times on the door. A few moments later it opened and Lord Nimfinwë's housekeeper peeked her head out.

"My Lord Ereinion! Come in, come in." She opened the door wider and ushered him inside, where she promptly took his cloak and hung it on the hook for him. "Is there anything I can get you?"

"No thank you, Alyss. Is Arrey home?"

Alyss nodded. "Yes, my Lord. He's in his room."

Ereinion nodded and headed up the stairs, rehearsing what he needed to say as he went. By the time he got to Arrey's bedroom he had decided to forget pretences and flowery words and just say it. It would be easier that way.

He knocked on the door and then pushed it open, peering around the edge of the wood. "Arrey?"

The blond-haired elf looked up from his book and grinned at his friend. "Ereinion! What brings you to my neck of the woods?" he cleared a space on the bed for the Noldo and gestured for him to sit down but Ereinion shook his head, preferring to stay standing.

"Um, there's something that I need to tell you."

Arrey regarded Ereinion carefully. "Is it...bad?" the prince seemed to be very nervous and Arrey wondered what in the world could make Ereinion that apprehensive.

"No." Ereinion moistened his lips. "Not bad, as such. Just...monumental."

Arrey shifted off of his stomach into a sitting position, and folded his hands in his lap. "Okay. I'm listening."

Ereinion took a deep breath. "It's just...well, um..." Why was this so hard?

_For the love of the Valar, Ereinion just say it!_"I'm gay."

Arrey's mouth dropped open. Of all the things Ereinion could have said, that was the one that Arrey least expected.

"...Are you sure?" as soon as the words left his mouth Arrey regretted them. He mentally slapped himself. _Nice going. Ask a more obvious question, will you?_

Ereinion nodded, eyes downcast. He was afraid to look at his friend's face, afraid of what he would find there. "Yes, I'm sure."

His voice was barely above a whisper and Arrey hated himself for not knowing what to say. Ereinion probably thought that Arrey hated him now. Despite the fact that his father was married to another man, Arrey was not entirely comfortable around those who were same-sex oriented, and Ereinion knew that. The blond elf acutely remembered the conversation they had had about that a few weeks ago. Had Ereinion been gauging his potential reaction then? Arrey swallowed nervously. What kind of impression had he left? He needed to make this better.

But what could he say? He had never even suspected that Ereinion was that way inclined and this admission was so out of the blue that Arrey could do little more than stare at him.

Ereinion blinked slowly and gathered the courage to raise his eyes. Arrey was staring at him, his expression unreadable. Ereinion thought he had a pretty good idea of the thoughts that were probably running through the other elf's head. _How could I be friends with a degenerate...he knows how I feel about them, how could he do this to me...I hope he's not attracted to me, that would be so awkward...if he's going to choose that kind of lifestyle I never want to see him again..._

Ereinion cleared his throat and gestured vaguely towards the door. "I'll just- I better go."

And then he was gone from the room, and it was not until Arrey heard him step on the creaky board at the bottom of the stairs that he recovered.

"Ereinion, wait!" he sprinted after the prince but the dark-haired elf was already rounding the corner at the end of the block by the time Arrey reached the door. The blond elf smacked himself in the forehead. "Idiot!"

"Arrey?" Nimfinwë had emerged from the study when he heard running, and approached his son. "What happened?"

Arrey sighed. "Ereinion just came out to me, and all I could do was stare at him with my mouth open like a fish."

"Ah." Nimfinwë looked down at the younger elf. "Does it affect your opinion of him?"

"Of course not!" Arrey passed a hand over his face. "It's just unexpected, that's all. It was the last thing I expected him to say."

Nimfinwë raised an eyebrow at the last part of Arrey's reply. "Really?"

Arrey nodded. "I mean, he's not interested in any of the girls at school but none of them are especially attractive so I never thought anything of it." He turned to look at his father. "Do you think I should go after him?"

"No."

It was Arrey's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Not yet," Nimfinwë clarified. "Wait until after dinner, and then go and talk to him. Give him a chance to calm down a bit, and take the time to figure out exactly what you want to say to him."

"Alright," Arrey replied quietly. "I'll do that."

Nimfinwë nodded, satisfied, and went back into his study. Arrey looked out of the door at the empty street for a few moments before closing the door and heading back up to his room to try and figure out a way to fix this.

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><p>Sequel coming soon.<p> 


	2. 2021: Friends

Arrey is pronounced 'Arrah' and means vigilance; Eear-gheay is pronounced 'Yar-gear' and means zephyr.  
>They're both Manx, and you can blame my friend Embrethil, who is also my beta. Without her I would be lost.<p>

Celebrimbor lives with Ereinion in Círdan's house, and they're about 16 here. Arrey is the same age, but lives with his family.

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><p>The sun was beginning to set in earnest when Celebrimbor turned the corner onto Arrey's street, and he approached the front gate of his friend's house as said friend walked through it. Arrey saw him approaching and waved, waiting for him to catch up.<p>

"I thought you went home after your date with Eear-gheay."

Celebrimbor shook his head and shifted the bag he was carrying to his other arm. "No, I had some errands to run for Círdan. And at any rate, I am not _dating_ Eear-gheay. Your father would have my head if I tried anything of the sort."

"Ohh, I get it. You're '_just friends_'." Arrey made the quote-unquote gesture with his fingers.

"Yes, that is the official story," Celebrimbor replied. "I rather like being alive so I'm not inclined to let your father know just yet."

"You know, he probably does know and just isn't letting on," Arrey replied, raising his eyebrows. "I'm sure knows a lot more than he lets on. In fact, I know he does. He's practically omniscient. It's scary."

Celebrimbor laughed as they started walking. "Where are you heading?"

"Your house, actually," Arrey replied. He passed a hand over his face. "I need to make amends with Ereinion."

"Why?" Celebrimbor frowned. "What happened?"

Arrey sighed. "He came out to me this afternoon. And I just sat there with my mouth open."

Celebrimbor regarded his friend. "That was a surprise for you?"

Arrey nodded. "That was the first I'd heard of it!"

"Wait," Celebrimbor put a hand on Arrey's shoulder and stopped him. "You mean, you didn't know?"

Arrey's eyes widened. "You _did_?"

"Well, yeah." Celebrimbor rubbed the back of his neck and raised an eyebrow at the vanya. "It's kind of obvious."

"Not to me," Arrey muttered.

They continued walking. Celebrimbor asked what happened next.

"He...ran out."

"Oh, by the Valar."

"Thank you, Cel, you're really helping."

"Sorry. Still, that wasn't your finest moment. What are you going to say to him when you see him?"

Arrey grimaced. "I don't know. I was just going to go with the flow and hope something came to me."

Celebrimbor rolled his eyes. "Well he's going to be feeling absolutely worthless because he'll think he's just lost you. I'd bet anything that he's thinking you're never going talk to him again; so the first thing you should do is apologise and tell him that this doesn't affect your friendship."

The beach and Círdan's house came into view as they turned the final corner and were met with a fierce coastal wind that had, until now, been blocked by the houses. Círdan's house sat high on a promontory overlooking the coast and they headed up the hill towards it. Arrey nodded. "How long have you known about this?"

Celebrimbor glanced back at him. "He told Eear-gheay and me a few weeks ago, but I've suspected it for ages."

"How could you tell?"

Celebrimbor shrugged. "Just little things. Certain hand gestures, the way he takes more pride than usual in his appearance, his total disinterest in every single girl on the island, the fact that he now refuses to shower and change at school after class; stuff like that."

"I did wonder why he was too embarrassed to change at school all of a sudden," Arrey replied in a tone of voice that suggested everything had just fallen into place for him. "And the other day, after talcoron practice, Vanimon praised his form and technique and he just went bright red."

Celebrimbor hid a smile. "Yeah, I saw that too. I think that he has a bit of a soft spot for our instructor."

By this time they had arrived at the house. Celebrimbor, seeing Arrey's hesitation, stepped forward and knocked on the door, which was opened a few seconds later by Ereinion. The Noldo smiled when he saw Celebrimbor, but his expression dropped when he saw Arrey. He nervously licked his lips. "Hello," he ventured quietly, wondering if Arrey was here to verbally condemn him.

"Hi," Arrey replied, seeing the apprehension flick through Ereinion's eyes. Celebrimbor stood aside so that he was not between them, but the other two remained unmoving until the tension continued to mount, becoming so thick that Celebrimbor was sure it could be sliced with a blunt slab of wood. Ereinion felt like his heart was trying to beat out of his chest. It was stupid to be so worried about a couple of sentences, really, but he was more afraid of those words than he had been of anything in his life. Arrey was his best friend, the brother he never had, and Ereinion felt like he would die if Arrey said that he did not want to be friends anymore. The vanya regarded Ereinion, who had averted his eyes under the scrutiny, and saw that his friend was afraid, presumably of what he was going to say. He looked so small and vulnerable that it nearly broke Arrey's heart. His reaction to Ereinion's earlier admission must have felt like a rejection of the worst kind.

Ereinion swallowed nervously. "I'm sorry, Arrey. I shouldn't have sprung that on you, and perhaps it's just a phase-"

"Ereinion, don't." Arrey's face creased into a frown of guilty sympathy, and a second later he stepped forward and caught Ereinion in a fierce hug. "I'm sorry I was such a prat about your being gay. I'm not bothered by it, I was just shocked, that's all. It doesn't affect the way I see you, or our friendship. You're perfect just the way you are: don't ever change for me, or anyone else. Just be yourself, and be happy, and I will be too."

Ereinion recovered from the shock of being hugged by the vanya and returned the tight embrace, pressing his face into Arrey's neck as tears of relief pricked the back of his eyes. "Thank you."

After a moment they both let go and Arrey lamely dropped his arms to his sides, unsure of what to do next. He cleared his throat and awkwardly patted Ereinion on the shoulder. "Right. Well, you're welcome."

Celebrimbor smiled at the exchange. "Well, now that your little love-fest is over, how about we go inside?" He held up the bag he was carrying. "I have marshmallows and cards, so we can play poker."

Arrey nodded. "That sounds good. What say you, Ereinion?"

They turned to Ereinion, who grinned mischievously. "Just so long as it isn't strip poker. I mean, just because I happen to like penis doesn't mean I want to see either of yours."

With that he danced away from his two best friends and raced up the stairs, leaving them dumbfounded behind him. Arrey and Celebrimbor glanced at each other, reaching a mutual decision.

"Get him."

They dashed after him, and their laughter echoed through the house, audible even after Ereinion's bedroom door had closed behind them.

Early the next morning Círdan found the three young elves fast asleep, fully clothed, on top of Ereinion's oversized bed amid a heap of cards and marshmallows. Celebrimbor, on the right, slept on his side, facing Ereinion and Arrey, who were sprawled on their backs in the middle and on the left respectively. Their heads were tilted towards each other, almost touching, and Arrey's arm had ended up draped over Ereinion's. Círdan had heard them playing cards into the small hours of the morning, but apparently they had not lasted all night. He was glad that everything was alright between them - Ereinion had been devastated when he returned home the previous afternoon and Círdan had dearly hoped that everything would turn out alright. He watched the sleeping youths for a few moments, smiling to himself. Apparently it had, and for that he was grateful.

Círdan suppressed a chuckle as he considered that Ereinion would have no trouble with any potential future lovers; after all, Celebrimbor and Arrey were as straight as could be and it seemed that Ereinion had had no trouble getting them into bed with him, however innocent the circumstances. Still smiling fondly, he left them to their sleep; at least for now, everything was as it should be.

* * *

><p>Talcoron is elvish for 'football', by which I mean soccer. It is the same in both Sindarin and Quenya except for the accent on the 'a' which I have deliberately left off for ambiguity. :3<p> 


	3. 028: Sorrow

A/N: I recommend listening to _Many__ of__ Horror_ by Biffy Clyro while reading this - I had that song on repeat while I was writing and it just gives it the right mood :) (You don't have to, of course, but you can if you want the optimum reading experience. ;P)

I mentioned in _Friends _that Ereinion had a thing for his teacher Vanimon, and my brain just sort of took that and ran with it xD I might write a few more things about teenage Ereinion, just to show that he did have a life before he was King and before he met Elrond.

This happens a little bit after _Rainbow_ and _Friends,_ so Ereinion is only just the equivalent of 17 here, so he's young enough to still act and react like a teenager, but old enough to have finished formal lessons.

Ereinion, Círdan and Celebrimbor belong to Tolkien.  
>Arrey belongs to my friend Embrethil.<br>Vanimon is mine.

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><p>Ereinion pulled his white wool cloak closer to his body as he walked along the headland with Arrey and Celebrimbor, only half-listening to their conversation as he lagged a few steps behind. The coastal breeze was unusually forceful that day, and Ereinion did not want to think about the trouble he would have when he tried to brush his hair later. He was grateful that he had tied it up in a ponytail, instead of just leaving it loose like he normally did: that would make things at least a little easier. He noticed that Arrey and Celebrimbor were further in front of him than he thought, and he moved to catch up with them when a flash of white caught his eye. He turned back and looked down at the bay, noting with a small frown that a ship was docked in the quay, and being loaded with baggage.<p>

"Ereinion?" Arrey turned back to the prince when his question went unanswered. "Ereinion, did you hear me?"

Ereinion had not heard the question, and he did not hear Arrey call his name, lost as he was in his musings. The figure with long black hair that was directing the transport of the trunks and suitcases seemed vaguely familiar, but Ereinion could not place him. "There's a boat preparing to set sail," he said, mostly to himself. "I wonder who is leaving."

Celebrimbor and Arrey exchanged a glance as Ereinion turned back to them. He saw the looks on their faces and realised that they knew who was getting ready to leave Balar, but apparently did not want to tell him. "Who is leaving?"

His friends shuffled their feet, glancing again at each other and then at the prince, who was losing his patience.

"Who is leaving on that ship? Tell me!"

Arrey sighed. "Vanimon is leaving."

Ereinion's heart stopped. "...What?"

Arrey repeated himself.

The prince looked between his two friends. "How long have you known?"

"We only found out this morning when we heard Círdan giving orders to the deckhands," Celebrimbor explained. "We didn't tell you because we thought you knew."

Ereinion glanced at Arrey, who nodded in agreement with Celebrimbor's explanation. The prince took a shaky breath. "Where is he going?"

"Círdan said he's returning to Arvernien-"

Celebrimbor had barely finished saying 'Arvernien' before Ereinion started running back the way they had come, towards the path that would lead him down to the quay. Celebrimbor and Arrey looked at one another, sighed, and followed him.

Vanimon was halfway down the jetty by the time Ereinion leapt off the last of the steps carved into the rock face and hit the sand running. "Vanimon! Wait!"

The older elf turned at the sound of his name and started to retrace his steps when he saw Ereinion running towards him. He had just stepped back onto the sand when Ereinion stopped in front of him, breathing heavily. The wind was tossing his hair and cloak and he brushed his fringe out of his face only to have to blow back again. Vanimon knew that his own hair was receiving a similar treatment by the wind, but he knew that trying to do anything with it right now would be a futile exercise. Arrey and Celebrimbor stopped running when they reached the bottom of the stone steps but did not advance further, content to watch from a distance.

"You were going to leave without saying goodbye?" Ereinion asked, in an attempt at his usual cockiness that they both knew failed. "I didn't even know you were leaving."

Vanimon shrugged apologetically. "I thought it would be easier."

Ereinion shook his head. "Why do you have to go?"

The wind died down slightly and Vanimon moved Ereinion's long fringe off his face, tucking it behind his ear. "Your father asked me to come here and teach you, and I did; now that you are no longer my student I do not need to stay. Also, my husband was injured in the Fifth Battle and I have been away from him for too long. I haven't seen him since before your father sent you here."

"Your husband?"

Vanimon nodded.

"I didn't know you were married." Ereinion looked away. His eyes were not filling with tears. They were not. The wind had blown some sand in there, that was all. He was not crying, and his world was not crumbling. "I thought that since you're not my teacher anymore, we could-"

"Be together?" Vanimon asked. He sighed when Ereinion nodded, pulling the younger elf close. He kissed the top of Ereinion's head. "You're beautiful, Ereinion, and smart, and caring, and there is someone in this wide world who was made just for you. But I am not him."

Ereinion pressed his cheek against Vanimon's firm chest and wrapped his arms around the taller elf's waist. "I love you."

"I know," the older elf replied, running his fingers carefully through Ereinion's tangled ponytail. "If I was not married then perhaps I would love you too. But I am, and we are not meant to be."

He placed his hands on either side of Ereinion's face and tilted it up so he could look into the prince's green eyes. He found them full of tears and one slipped out when Ereinion blinked. Vanimon carefully wiped the drop away with his thumb, leaning in to kiss Ereinion's forehead. "Do not cry, my prince. Somewhere out there, there is an elf who will love you as much as you love him. I promise that one day, you will find each other."

Ereinion shook his head as much as he could with his face thus cradled, and looked into his former teacher's stormy grey eyes. "Don't go."

"I must."

The younger elf closed his eyes as another wave of warm tears escaped. Vanimon wiped these away as he had wiped the away the others, and wished that this parting did not cause Ereinion such pain. He knew that if he was not married he could easily fall in love with the young prince, but his heart was already taken and his husband needed him. He had dallied as long as he could, and now the longing in his heart was too strong for him to delay further. Ereinion's arms tightened around his waist and Vanimon decided that even though they would never be anything more than a teacher and his former student, and that this was probably the last time they would ever see each other, there was one thing he could give to the prince.

"Look at me."

Ereinion opened his eyes and did as Vanimon asked. He was as beautiful as ever and Ereinion did not want to be faced with a world in which he would not see this face every day. The older elf's hands were still cupping his jaw and Vanimon used that grip to gently pull Ereinion's face up as he leant down to meet it. Their lips touched and Ereinion's breath caught. The kiss, his first, was divine: Vanimon's lips were warm and soft and the prince carefully returned the kiss they were bestowing on him. His eyes had closed of their own accord, and both elves were unaware of the tears that were flowing unchecked down the prince's cheeks. Vanimon's fingers slipped around to cradle the nape of Ereinion's neck as the younger elf parted his lips a little further. He felt the taller elf's tongue gently trace the curve of his lower lip, and Ereinion was sure that if he had not been holding on to Vanimon so tightly, his knees would have buckled. His heart was fluttering madly in his chest and he decided that nothing could ever be as perfect as this.

And then, suddenly, it was over. Ereinion gasped as Vanimon's lips left his own, and he touched his still-tingling mouth with his fingertips, pitching forward slightly as Vanimon stepped away. He looked up at his teacher with wide eyes, his tearstained face the very picture of despair.

"Shed no more tears," Vanimon whispered, brushing Ereinion's face one last time with the back of his fingers. "You deserve the best that life has to offer, and I wish you all the happiness in the world." He dropped his hand and smiled sadly. "_Navaer,__ ernil-nîn.__ No __in__ elenath__ hîlar__ nan__ hâd__ gîn._"

"Goodbye," Ereinion whispered as Vanimon turned and walked towards the waiting ship. "_Ná__ Elbereth__ veria __le._"

The wind picked up his words and carried them to his former teacher as Vanimon stepped aboard. Ereinion watched as the gangplank was lifted, the ropes released and the anchor drawn up. Vanimon made his way to the stern as the ship drew away from the shore, and waved to the three young elves standing on the beach. Ereinion waved back, and, unseen by the prince, Arrey and Celebrimbor did the same. Ereinion was vaguely aware that his friends had moved to stand on either side of him, that Celebrimbor had slid an arm around his waist and that Arrey's hand was on his shoulder. They watched the ship in silence until eventually Vanimon moved away from the stern and went into the cabins; vanishing from Ereinion's sight and his life, and leaving the young prince to gather the pieces of his shattered heart.

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><p><em>Navaer,<em>_ ernil-nîn.__ No __in__ elenath__ hîlar__ nan__ hâd__ gîn._ = Farewell, my prince. May the stars shine upon your path.  
><em>Ná<em>_ Elbereth__ veria __le._ = May Elbereth protect you.


	4. 039: Dreams

Warning: m/m sex.  
>Pairing: EreinionOMC  
>Summary: Porn, angst, a few lines unashamedly stolen from <em>Love Actually<em> and a large dollop of dramatic irony.

Follows on from the events in the last chapter, although this is quite some months later. But you will need to read chapter 3 to fully understand this.

* * *

><p>The dreams started a week after Vanimon left. To start with they were just about the kiss: more like a re-lived memory than a dream. Ereinion would dream that Vanimon had kissed him for hours, and then would wake in the morning feeling excruciatingly hollow, like an empty shell of skin not even filled with a skeleton and organs. Every night he re-lived the kiss, and after a while there were subtle changes.<p>

Sometimes Vanimon's luggage was around their feet as they kissed, the boat sailing off into the distance, as if Ereinion had convinced him to stay. Other times the location was different: instead of the beach, they were on the headland, or in the forest, or in the school training grounds. Sometimes they were in the school's locker room; Ereinion pressed against the rows of lockers with Vanimon impossibly close, one knee between the prince's thighs. Sometimes it was windy, sometimes it snowed, sometimes it rained and sometimes it was a perfect sunny day.

As time went on and the dreams became increasingly different, the kisses changed too; they were more forceful, steamier. Ereinion would be more daring and would reach down to grasp Vanimon's backside. Their breathing became heavier and in the dream Ereinion was aroused, and could feel that Vanimon was too. Often he would wake up still hard and would have no choice but to touch himself or have a cold shower.

Until now, their activities in the dream only stemmed as far as the things Ereinion could imagine realistically. His sexual experience was limited to that one kiss on the beach and the nights he spent with his left hand - he had only a basic knowledge of what sex between two men entailed, having only read about it in a few romance novels he had found in Círdan's library and being too embarrassed to ask his foster father for more information. He had not dreamt about it because he did not know.

But recently, the dream had changed again: it now took place in his bedroom, on what was apparently the night of his majority celebration. His imagination was unusually active, the dream more vivid than any he had ever had before. Vanimon was dressed in a shimmering silk tunic in the same dark grey as his eyes, black velvet leggings and suede boots that came up above his knees. His hair hung completely loose, unhindered by any form of braid, the way Ereinion liked it best.

Ereinion himself was dressed in a set of beautiful formal robes: a long-sleeved under-robe of navy blue silk with a star pattern brocaded in a darker blue, and an outer robe of royal blue crushed velvet with gold embroidery around the hem, a gold silk sash and 'sleeves' twice the length of his arm, lined with gold silk, which were sewn together at his shoulder but then hung in one strip down to his knees, serving no practical purpose. His hair was also loose, but with tell-tale kinks that suggested it had previously been braided into an elaborate pattern.

Vanimon would tuck a lock of Ereinion's hair behind his ear and tell him how beautiful he was, to which Ereinion would reply, "It's all for you."

* * *

><p>"It's all for you."<p>

Vanimon smiled at that, trailing a hand through Ereinion's hair, stepping closer to the vision in front of him. He slid an arm around Ereinion's waist and pulled the younger elf against him as he leant down to trace the outside of Ereinion's ear with his tongue. The prince shuddered with delight and Vanimon could feel the desire radiating off of him.

"Vanimon...please..." Ereinion clutched at the older elf's silvery tunic as his former teacher caught his earlobe between his teeth, sending a spark of desire straight to Ereinion's groin. Vanimon did not need to be told twice, and continued his sensual assault of Ereinion's ear and jaw as he reached around to undo the gold sash, which was discarded on the floor when the older elf moved to the catches on Ereinion's outer-robe.

He undid each clasp carefully, until Ereinion grew tired of the anticipation and yanked it open, sending a few gold clasps flying in his haste. He shrugged it off his shoulders and started to undo Vanimon's tunic, which followed Ereinion's sash and robe onto the floor. The older elf drew Ereinion close again, this time to kiss him deeply. He guided the prince's arms around his neck and then put his hands on the back of Ereinion's thighs, easily lifting him and carrying him over to the large bed. Ereinion leaned down for another kiss, lacing his fingers into the hair at Vanimon's temples and enjoying being able to kiss him from above: even though he was now an adult he was still a few inches shorter than his former teacher.

The kiss ended and Vanimon set Ereinion on the side of the bed, kneeling on the carpet to slide the hem of Ereinion's under-robe up above his knees so he could get at the younger elf's boots. They laced up at the front and he carefully and methodically undid the laces, pulling them free of their eyelets with one hand as he caressed Ereinion's inner thighs with the other.

The prince's legs were quivering under the older elf's fingers, and Ereinion lay back on the bed, breathing shakily as he resisted the urge to touch his aching erection. After what seemed like years, Vanimon finished undoing his left boot and started on the other. The older elf seemed to sense Ereinion's need and did not take as long to undo this one as he had with the first. Vanimon stood up and toed off his shoes and socks and kicked them aside. Ereinion slipped his leggings off and sat up to undo his under-robe as Vanimon took off his own leggings. Both pairs of pants were cast onto the floor and Ereinion draped his under-robe over the foot of the bed where it would not crease too much.

He distantly realised that he should feel more nervous than he did, but what he felt was more like breathless anticipation than nervousness. His eyes eagerly drank in Vanimon's gloriously naked body, and Ereinion ran his tongue over his top teeth when his gaze stopped on the older elf's full erection. He felt his own groin stir further in response to the sight and he suddenly felt empty, more empty than he could remember being in his life, and he knew that he would die if that emptiness was not filled.

"Vanimon," he whispered as the taller elf closed the gap between them. "I need you."

"Then you will have me," was the murmured response, and then Vanimon leant down to give him a searing kiss. The next thing he knew, he was on his back on the bed with Vanimon on top of him and they were still kissing and Ereinion never wanted this to end. This was usually where the dream ended, but it did not seem to be ending any time soon, so Ereinion gleefully decided that he was not dreaming. This was real. It was actually happening.

Vanimon's voice brought him back to the present. "We need oil. Where do you keep it?"

Ereinion cleared his throat and then remembered that it had always been conveniently under his pillow in the dream. He reached under there, and sure enough, his fingers encountered a small vial. Ereinion pushed himself up on his elbows in order to watch what Vanimon was doing. His former teacher coated three fingers of his right hand with the oil and then glanced up, smiling when he caught Ereinion's gaze. He leaned over to kiss the younger elf softly.

"This will be uncomfortable at first. Try and relax for me," he whispered against Ereinion's lips when they broke apart. Ereinion nodded and took a deep breath, and Vanimon kissed him again as he traced around Ereinion's opening and gently pushed his finger inside. Ereinion gasped and tensed against the invasion, and Vanimon paused.

"Relax," he murmured again. "Just relax. Take a deep breath."

Ereinion nodded and inhaled deeply, forcing himself to relax when he exhaled. Vanimon slipped his finger in the rest of the way, and Ereinion forced his body to stay relaxed despite the intrusion. It didn't hurt, per se, but it was uncomfortable. Vanimon thrust his finger in and out a few times, and then crooked it and started to stroke the inside of Ereinion's passage. It was almost like he was looking for something, and as the older elf kissed him again, Ereinion wondered what it was.

All of a sudden stars exploded behind his eyes and he involuntarily arched up as his entire body ignited with pleasure. He gasped for breath and looked with wonder at Vanimon, who smiled knowingly. The spot was stroked again, and while Ereinion was lost in blissful sensation, Vanimon added another finger, and then another. By the time Ereinion realised what was happening, he was adequately stretched and aching for more. Vanimon had moved his head down to leave a trail of lovebites across Ereinion's collarbone, and the young prince moaned. Vanimon withdrew his fingers and climbed up onto the bed and leant over his former student, resuming his assault of the smooth skin at Ereinion's throat. Ereinion elbowed himself further into the centre of the bed so that Vanimon would have enough room, and wrapped his legs around his former teacher's waist.

"Vanimon..."

The name was uttered in a breathy whisper that went straight to the elf in question's already aching cock, and he smiled against Ereinion's shoulder, pressing one last kiss there before straightening up and aligning himself with the prince's entrance. "Look at me."

Ereinion did so, and struggled to hold his former teacher's gaze as he was slowly filled. After a few seconds he gave up trying to and let his eyelids flutter as pleasure surged through him. It hurt, yes, but not as much as he had anticipated, and otherwise it felt so unspeakably good that he was willing to overlook it. He was lost in a sea of sensation when he felt Vanimon lightly stroke his face, and opened his eyes to see the older elf leaning over him. Vanimon was now fully sheathed inside of the prince, and Ereinion's already laboured breath hitched when he realised that.

"Are you alright? Does it hurt?"

"No," Ereinion shook his head. He reached up to cup Vanimon's cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too," Vanimon replied. Ereinion grinned and pull him down for a kiss. Vanimon was trying to hold still to give Ereinion time to adjust but when the prince's tongue traced along the length of his own he couldn't stop his hips from jerking forward. Ereinion moaned deliciously and started moving his hips, trying to get more friction. Vanimon obligingly began moving in short, shallow thrusts, trying to draw it out.

Ereinion wasn't having any of that. He pulled away from the kiss, grazing Vanimon's bottom lip with his teeth in the process, and clenched the muscles of his passage around Vanimon's shaft. Vanimon moaned deeply in response, and opened his eyes to look at his lover.

"Harder," Ereinion demanded. Vanimon couldn't refuse. He claimed Ereinion's lips once more and started to thrust in earnest, drawing more pleasure-filled moans from the prince. He remembered the position of Ereinion's prostate from his preparations, and angled up to press against it with every thrust. Ereinion gasped when Vanimon's shaft brushed his prostate the first time, and then tightened his legs around Vanimon's waist as every muscle in his body went rigid. He clutched at Vanimon's back as the older elf drove into him again and again, barely giving him respite between thrusts. Not that Ereinion minded the lack of respite.

Vanimon reached a hand between them and grasped Ereinion's leaking erection with one warm hand, stroking in time with the movement of his hips. Ereinion threw his head back and cried out in rapture. He tightened his hold on Vanimon even more as he felt heat starting to pool low in his stomach and at the base of his shaft. Vanimon could feel his own orgasm building and thrust harder, driving as far into Ereinion as he could. He leant down to plunder Ereinion's mouth again, caressing the young elf's mouth as intently as he was caressing other parts of him.

Ereinion was gasping for breath when they broke apart, each inhalation accompanied by a little moan. "I'm...I'm going to..." was all he managed to gasp out before Vanimon's lips descended on his again.

"Shh," Vanimon replied when he released the prince's mouth again. He was having as much trouble as Ereinion was at forming coherent thoughts, let alone putting them into words. "So...am I. Just come. Come with me."

He maintained his almost brutal pace as the heat in his lower body spread, and he felt Ereinion's passage begin to clench around his shaft as the prince approached his peak. Vanimon held back, wanting Ereinion to climax first. Ereinion was mindless. There was nothing except the heat of Vanimon's body, his hand on Ereinion's erection, his shaft moving so deeply inside the prince's body. Each thrust unfailingly hit his prostate, even when Vanimon no longer had any real control over his movements. A spark of pleasure shot through his body from his head to his tightly curled toes, and Ereinion threw his head back and moaned loudly as he came.

* * *

><p>Ereinion woke with the force of his orgasm, and for a few moments all he could do was convulse unwillingly as he shot his seed onto the sheets. He moaned quietly as the last intense waves of pleasure washed over him, and sighed, lying still to catch his breath. It was a dream after all. He was not yet an adult, and he had not slept with Vanimon. He had not even convinced Vanimon to stay in Balar. He was probably already home in Arvernien, Ereinion thought bitterly. Home in the arms of his husband, with Ereinion being the very last thing on his mind. Ereinion passed a hand over his face and cast those thoughts away. He could not blame Vanimon for wanting to return to his spouse, and did not want to become jealous of someone who had been married to Vanimon long before Ereinion was even born.<p>

The pleasure of but a few moments before was replaced with shame and a bone-deep weariness that always accompanied the realisation that he was so very alone. He dragged himself out of bed, pulling off his pyjama pants and using a dry part of them to clean himself off, and then cast them onto his bed and stripped the sheets off, taking them into his bathroom to dump them in the laundry basket. He would wash them himself first thing in the morning. The prince then put on a fresh pair of pants and re-made the bed with clean sheets. He laid down on it again and tried to go back to sleep, but it eluded him.

He got up once again and padded over to his window, glancing out over the bay. He hoped Vanimon had reached his home safely, and that he was happy.

"Enough. Enough now," he murmured to himself, pushing all thoughts of his former teacher out of his head. It was time to move on. He idly wondered if there really was someone out there who had been made just for him, as Vanimon had promised him on the day that he left. He hoped so, but could not really bring himself to believe it. Even if he did find this miraculous person, there was no guarantee that they could be married. He was the only heir to a perpetually uncertain and unlucky throne; he did not have the luxury of true love. Especially not if his true love was a male.

He looked out at the horizon, watching the sky get lighter as dawn approached. The first seagulls of the day started to squawk to each other, driving away Ereinion's gloomy thoughts with their cheerful calls. Ereinion watched a group of gulls cavorting on the beach, already fighting over breakfast. His attention was drawn away from the gulls at the sound of a horn being blown. He pulled his window open and leaned out to see the harbour, and watched in interest as a passenger ship sailed in slowly and docked.

The markings on the side were unfamiliar, but the imperial uniforms of the passengers were not. They were soldiers, probably sent here to be his bodyguards, Ereinion thought. There was plenty of unsettling news from the mainland accompanying every incoming ship, so it was unsurprising that his security was being reinforced. He appraised the new guards as best as he could from so far away, already wondering if any of them were good looking.

His mood considerably lightened, he collected come clothes for the day and went back into the bathroom. He was going to do his washing early and then he would have an excuse to be outside and to get a good look at them all before they were formally introduced. He couldn't wait.


End file.
